One thing about me – other than my near obsession with helping folks pull themselves out from the bottom of the financial heap – is that I enjoy playing games. Most of my online “biographies” note that fact. Cards, board games, puzzles; it doesn’t matter. I just like friendly competition.
There’s an online game I play from time to time. In this particular game you get points by making the best hand according to a sliding scale. But the only way to make a good hand is by cooperating and trading with other players.
Some players will only trade for higher points. It usually takes them a longer time to assemble a good score.
Then there are other players who seem to always give away the best pieces they get to other players in order to help them make good scores. You might think this would keep them at the lower scores for themselves.
But that’s not the case. I’ve tried it myself, both in the game and in business. When I enter the game giving and helping others, I get more.
I admit that some days when I play the game I quickly get in a “bad mood” when other players try to gobble up my higher scoring pieces without even introducing themselves to the group or attempting to help anyone else. On those occasions it sometimes takes me a few rounds to remember the best way to play.
Other times, I come into the game giving away “good” pieces right away. Because I remember that the best way to play is to help however I can before asking for help.
Do unto others…
The best way to say it, remember it and do it is: “The best way to get what you want is to help others get what they want.”